Ohrid remains attractive destination for foreign tourists, the number of visitors to the Macedonian Jerusalem made the citizens of Ohrid to be satisfied by the tourism effects.
The data from the State Statistical Office and the Local Government show that skeptical forecasts are not accurate.
Dzoko Apostolov, the head of the Department of Tourist Economic Development (TLED for the “Utrinski Vesnik” reports emphasized optimism about the effects, as well as for the expectations for next year.
- As of July, the number of overnight stays generated by domestic visitors was 136,725, which is about 10 percent less than the same period last year, but in turn, are increased overnight stays by foreign tourists 208,301, which is 15 percent increasing. The trend follows for August, when foreign tourists realized for 5 percent more overnight stays, while the number of nights spent by domestic visitors showed a slight decrease. Ohrid was extraordinarily visited in September, there are still guests now, so that we could be completely satisfied by the overall balance, said Apostolov.
The local government in Ohrid particular highlight the results from the collection of tourist tax, which is another parameter for successful tourist visit for the Municipality.
- In relation to the last year’s tourist tax collection, it is increased by 40 percent in private landlords or by 23 percent among hoteliers. We already have over 2,000 categorized landlords and currently we are working on the establishment of a special association of landlords in Ohrid , following the example of HOTAM. Probably the next season will start with subsidizing landlords, which will be another step in the development of the tourism industry, said Apostolov for the newspaper.
Ohrid year was flooded with guests from foreighn countries. Mark of this year’s main tourist season was the guests from the Benelux countries, especially the Dutch.
Poles, Turks, Albanians, Romanians and Greeks were among foreign tourists that in the autumn enjoyed in Ohrid. From the next year, as informed the Utrinski Vesnik, Ohrid is expecting organized group of Russian tourists and establishing the direct charter flights from Ohrid to Moscow.
